This has been an excellent car. I have 126K on it right now and would drive it to California right now. The engine is amazing. I love the roar it makes from a take-off. It handles like a dream - really hugs the curves. I've owned this car for nine years and am extremely hard-pressed to part with it

Very few. I've been reading about people's complaints about the cupholders, and those kind of get on my nerves too, but not enough to deter me from the overall greatness of this car. I've had to take it into a Nissan specialist to get the brakes done right, but that's not a big deal. There's a slight short in the dash, but that's nothing too. My stock stereo and rear Clarion speakers went out recently, but hey they're nine years old, too.

My Maxima has been wonderful. Nissan has taken a sworn Pontiac lover and turned me into a true believer of the joys of driving a Nissan. I will never buy anything other than Nissan products, unless it's a good classic musclecar :)

Similar Products Used:

1993 Nissan Sentra - My Sentra was only a smaller and less powerful version of my Maxima. I loved it too; 1984 Pontiac Grand Prix- I practically pushed it into the car lot when I traded it for my Sentra and it had fewer miles than my Maxima

Awesome power on take off and on interstate. Looks nice. Very comfortable and the most room for the price. Very reliable. Only a tune up after 120k miles besides oil changes. Nice interior. Keeps very well.

dinky cup holders, needs a better sound system than the standard one.

It's actually my parent's car, but i drive it at least as much as they do. All of my friends get excited when i say i borrowed the maxima for the week. In short it's a sports car meant for family and friends. It's got the power to outrun most midsize cars, the fuel efficiency and reliability to take on long trips, the room to fit everyone in, looks that kill, and a price that does NOT reflect all of the above. It's a great car for anyone from 16 to 96 years old to have and not be a millionaire.

Similar Products Used:

Galant, Camry, Accord, Taurus... Maxima has much more room, power more sporty. Technically in the same class as Lexus, Infinity, and Acura, but at half the price.

This car is just great. After almost 60,000 miles, the Max has no rattles or squeaks, and still gets to 50 mph with dangerous ease. The interior is top-notch, but I'm thinking of getting brushed aluminum panels instead of the boring black plastic. Now when I say this thing moves, I mean it. At about ~3000 rpm, you'd better not be in traffic, because the Max will start to pull like a turbo finally spooled up. And the scariest part is that with the Bose system, you won't hear any of that engine noise until you hit about 4000 rpm. For driving around town and parking, the steering's power assist is great, and it tapers away as speeds increase at the right rate. Visibility is good too, and although most spoilers may obstruct rear view the Max's spoiler makes a great parking guide.

The Max is a great stoplight sleeper. Pull up to any V6 "muscle-car", ricemobile or old-school sports car and you'll probably get a good view of the front of their car for a whole half a second. It gets bragging rights as far as numbers go: 0-60 in 6.7 sec, 190 HP, 3000 lbs, and ZX genes make cars like the Accord EX V6 and Camry SE V6 seem lazy.

And the Maxima is surprisingly roomy. It's roomier than the new Camry, about as roomy as the old Avalon, roomier than any Japanese SUV, and even roomier than my mom's Nissan Quest. If Nissan had imported the Maxima wagon to the U.S. I'm sure there would be a big market for it. The seats are big, firm, and supportive, and there is plenty of head/elbow/hip/leg room. All the controls are simple and require no thought or mastery of engineering to use, and after five years have held up in function and quality.

And of course, chicks love the black on black thing. And it's gonna be all mine very soon.

Minor things that have fallen victim to use and time are the only things I could complain about. The panels on the back of the front seatbacks have completely dislodged themselves and are being held in by the grace of duct tape. Not cool. Also, first gear must be too short, because any slight tapping will cause some serious lurching. Again, not cool. There are no cupholders or folding rear seats, which are things that should be as standard as wheels. The Bose stereo could use some low-end reenforcement...but I guess that depends on how you like to hear your music. And also, my dad had a minor accident, and now our rear bumper is a mix of peeling black paint and black rubber.
The only major gripe I have is with the gearbox. I think we need to change the transmission fluid and the clutch, because shifting in 1st and reverse is very difficult. Other gears aren't too great either...as I was passing some old Peugeot on a rainy day not too long ago, the difficulty I had in downshifting from 5th to 3rd almost cost me my life. I guess I'll have to take that up with Gregoris at the next servicing.

Overall, my time with the Maxima was all fun and games. I love this car. I was thinking of trading it in for a newer Altima or 240sx, but I realized that the Maxima was all I needed in a car. It's fast, it's comfortable, and it's reliable. I would recommend this car to everybody. In fact, I don't see why there are cars that cost more but offer less. This car sets the standard.

Similar Products Used:

1997 Honda Accord V6- a good contender against an Altima. 1991 Mazda 929S- it was fun while it lasted. A tire change and some servicing might have saved it's life. Anyway, not a contender against the torquey, 5-speed Maxima SE. 2000 Maxima SE auto- it was fast, but just not fast enough. 1998 & 2001 Infiniti I30- imagine the Maxima on sedatives. 1997 Toyota Camry- it does what it was built to do well...but not on the same page as the Maxima.

Reliable
Roomy
Great sound system
Standard alarm, a/c, power locks/windows
Smooth engine

Ok gas mileage
Power antenna
No pass through from backseat to trunk

This is my third Maxima since 1987... all three cars have been extremely reliable....even after a major accident the car is running smoothly.

Similar Products Used:

Much better handling, reliable and ample power

Great Car. Nice drive and great features

Awkward seating in terms of steering wheel to seat placement, in my opinion

I love this car and recomend it fully to anyone

Similar Products Used:

Toyota Camry...no comparison

motor, mileage was good, loved my sun roof, keyless entry, My CD player,,great on LONG trips to S.C. and other places...

no cup holders,,had change timing belt every 60,000 miles, didn't like the tires on the car, best tires are Hancook Tires, great in water.. didnt spin or anything, like the Michilin. didn't ride to well in water, wanted to spin..think that is all

I was very pleased with my car. I had 127,000 miles on the car. I just got in a car on Jan 24,2001, totaled my car, held the value great,, my biggest complaint is that I am 5'4", have ashtma. The airbag came out SO SO fast popped me in my mouth, nearly broke my jaw.. I have mouth injuries from the airbag,, they should have at least had info on how fast the airbag goes, and also need to have test dummies for us short people..
Just be prepared it can scare the tar out of you,, i know it did me.. I feel like whoever has this car with little kids, they are safe.. i got hit on the left side, was going 35 mph and was slowing down..GREAT CAR>>>
I would buy it again but would like to have a newer model..very costly

Similar Products Used:

better than a Sentra GXE, a lemon car that it was..

The engine is great even at high speeds. Interior is comfortable and very convenient. The 222 hp 217 torque @ 4000 rpm is a definite plus and very fun to drive!

I just don't like the headrest it curves upwards

I love this car. The new design is very attractive especially with the SE model. I would definetely recommend this car over ths BMW 3.25 or Accord EX-V6. The BMW is not worth the price although it has better handling that is basically all.

Similar Products Used:

BMW 3.25 2001, Honda Accord 2001

Unbelievable engine - drives like a true sports car with power, spunk and pep. The car is built solid and feels firm on the road. In 4 years of driving, the only garage time the car has seen is scheduled oil changes and regular maintenance visits - nothing breaks on the vehicle! Luxury feel at economic price - we tested the Infiniti I30, which is basically the same car priced $10,000 over the Maxima!

Odd rattles in the dashboard and side panels that can't be located. The factory radio and speakers were lifeless and disappointing - we replaced ours with a better system. Absolutely worthless on snow and ice due to an overly powerful engine, I think.

I love this car! It's all in the driving! With the 5-spd manual transmission it drives like a race car, but rides like a luxury car. The car is a smooth and powerful performer that gets very good gas mileage for a 6-cylinder vehicle.

Seats are comfortable for long road trips, and all the gauges are easily accessible and visible. Trunk space is great, and even better in the new models from what I've heard. Back seats provide good space and leg room for average sized adults.

Finally, the price on the Nissan Maximas is a steal compared with the Honda and the Toyota competition. The engine outperforms any of their offerings, and the car costs thousands less! But, the best part about this car is without a doubt the fun of driving it! Get a 5-spd manual transmission and you can be a part-time Mario Andretti!

Similar Products Used:

Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

Unbelievable engine - drives like a true sports car with power, spunk and pep. The car is built solid and feels firm on the road. Luxury feel at economic price - we tested the Infiniti I30, which is basically the same car priced $10,000 over the Maxima!

Odd rattles in the dashboard and side panels that can't be located. The factory radio and speakers were lifeless and disappointing - we replaced ours with a better system. Absolutely worthless on snow and ice due to an overly powerful engine, I think.

I love this car! It's all in the driving! With the 5-spd manual transmission it drives like a race car, but rides like a luxury car. The car is a smooth and powerful performer that gets very good gas mileage for a 6-cylinder vehicle.

Seats are comfortable for long road trips, and all the gauges are easily accessible and visible. Trunk space is great, and even better in the new models from what I've heard. Back seats provide good space and leg room for average sized adults.

Finally, the price on the Nissan Maximas is a steal compared with the Honda and the Toyota competition. The engine outperforms any of their offerings, and the car costs thousands less! But, the best part about this car is without a doubt the fun of driving it! Get a 5-spd manual transmission and you can be a part-time Mario Andretti!

Similar Products Used:

Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

Superb quality
Superb engine
Superb ride and handling

The design of the rear end blows chunks!
The car is too smooth, I've developed a nasty habit at driving at 200Kmh

I've lived with the car for 1 year and I could never go back to an
American product, they just dont have the quality.
Toyota is too expensive for less sports quality.
Acura is close - but the Maxima is a better vehicle.

Similar Products Used:

Acura, Chrysler, Toyota